


The Pack

by BreakingDown1397



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 02:56:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5611261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreakingDown1397/pseuds/BreakingDown1397
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mulan and Ruby start their Journey to find other wolves, things get more complicated then they expected along the way.<br/>Ratings may change</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ruby and Mulan prepare to leave Dunbroch  
> -I haven't written many fics so constructive criticism is always welcome

Mulan felt a slight twinge of sadness knowing this would be her last night in Dunbroch and although she was excited for her new adventure with Ruby she would miss Merida. Who was now the Queen of Dunbroch and therefore they wouldn't be able to spend the same time together that they used to, so here she was sitting in this hut that was considered the local pub nursing her ale. It was late and most of the men had cleared out which is why she almost fell out of her seat when someone rushed up behind her.

"Thought I would've missed ya, heard ye was in the Pub I would've come earlier but ya know being the Queen and all I've had a lot to attend to."

Merida dropped herself down onto the adjacent barstool while the owner of the keep rushed to fill her drink. Mulan smiled.

"Although you had no obligation I'm glad you came to find me, It wouldn't of felt right not saying goodbye at least one more time." 

"Don't think twice about it Mulan you're the closest friend I have, hell I wish I was going with you but duty and all, you understand." 

Mulan looked sympathetically at Merida, she had no doubt Merida would be the best leader Dunbroch had ever had, but leadership had a heavy weight especially for a young woman. 

"I hate to leave you now especially with Arthur and the threat he has posed toward you, maybe... I should stay." Merida rested her hand on Mulans' forearm squeezing tightly she gave Mulan a stern look. 

"I don't want you thinking twice about staying, I'll be fine and Arthur he'll get what's coming to him your training will assure that. Besides I think this new adventure with that Red girl could be good for you, maybe if you help find what that lass Ruby is looking for you might find something yerself." 

Mulans' eyebrows quirked upward as she smiled.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say leadership has made you wiser."

Merida playfully swatted Mulan and they sat together for a few minutes in comfortable silence. 

"So where's the wolf girl now?" Merida mused sipping on her ale.

"Off resting in castle I told her she could sleep in my quarters, she said she was grateful to be sleeping on a bed instead of the floor of a witches hut." 

Merida shook her head, "That witch is cryptic and annoying enough as it is couldn't imagine having to live with the old hag."

The two women sat for another hour or so talking and reminiscing it was bittersweet and eventually they both retired to the castle promising that in the morning they'd see each other before Mulan left for her trip. Mulan made her way back to her room and was careful to be quiet, it was late and she didn't want to risk waking Ruby. The room was warm the fireplace was still well lit and the furs that covered the floors and walls only aided in Mulans drowsiness her armor was heavy and it was an annoyance untying it more than usual. After a frustrating minute Mulan gave up and collapsed into the large chair by the fire, she glanced over to the bed and saw a lump of covers which of course was Ruby her breathing seemed steady and if Mulan strained her ears she could swear she heard light snoring. Mulans eyes grew heavy and she almost was asleep when she felt some shifting around her shoulders, Mulans eyes parted to see a mop of messy brown hair and a white night gown.

"Hey sleepyhead you shouldn't fall asleep in the chair you'll be stiff when you wake up trust me I know what it's like sleeping In hard places." Ruby smiled at Mulan whose eyes had now focused.

Mulan was about to protest but was so tired she just managed a nod, Ruby untied Mulans armor and helped Mulan over to the bed, Mulan almost felt embarrassed appearing in her underclothes but sleep was already taking her as she lay down on the soft mattress, a moment later their was a dip In the bed next to her as Ruby climbed back into bed. Mulan fell asleep with a slight warmth radiating In her chest she hadn't slept this close to anyone since Aurora, Mulan succumbed to sleep with a slight since of longing but a sense of hope too, something she hadn't felt in quite some time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to anyone who's reading and enjoy.

Mulan stretched her shoulders as she waited in the castle courtyard for Merida and Ruby. She was well rested in part thanks to Ruby and the excitement Mulan was feeling for the journey she was about to embark on kept her alert. She really liked Ruby, well she liked what she had seen of Ruby so far and Mulan felt they were going to be great friends. Ruby was off gathering the last of their supplies from the castle kitchen, Merida had been insistent on supplying them with everything they'd need even offering two of her own horses. Mulan had been quick to say it was too much but Merida simply ignored her claiming regal authority and Mulan knew saying no to Merida would be more trouble than it was worth.

"So I guess this it." Mulan turned to see the fiery haired Queen and her heart ached, they embraced.

"We will see each other again, I swear it." Mulan was sad to go but she knew Merida would be fine.

"Just don't turn anyone into a bear while I'm gone." Mulan teased.

Merida smacked Mulans arm but couldn't keep herself from the impish grin forming on her face. Just as they were done with their goodbyes Ruby came down through the courtyard with their food, she was wearing her signature Red cloak; Which Mulan thought looked beautiful on her, especially with the sun shining down making the contrast between the saturated red of her cloak and the glossiness of her thick chestnut hair very pleasing to look at. Mulan didn't realize she been staring so intently until Merida pinched her side. Mulan came out of the daze trying to keep her ears from turning red from embarrassment, Merida snickered quietly.

"Thank you again your highness for everything that you've given us for our trip, really I don't know how to repay you."

"Don't think twice about it and you'll be repaying me by taking care of this one," Merida playfully shoved Mulan, "and you can call me Merida I considered you a friend and that's what my friends call me." Ruby smiled nodding her head.

"Well we should get going." Mulans things were already packed onto her horse, she assisted Ruby atop of her steed and they were off, Dunbrochs' castle bordered the wilds and in less than ten minutes it was like they'd completely left civilization. The day before they'd plotted their course Ruby had thought she'd scented wolves east of Dunbroch and was headed that way before she'd been spelled by the witch. Ruby hoped that picking up where she'd left off would give her and Mulan the best chance of finding other werewolves; Mulan was grateful to be Rubys' travelling companion although the woman seemed more than capable of handling herself she only had the power of the wolf under the full moon and she didn't have the best control of her wolf at the moment which made Mulans fighting skills very valuable. Ruby had warned Mulan about the possible danger she could be in from just travelling with her but Mulan already had trust in Ruby and she'd experienced many stranger things than werewolves in her travels, she had assured Ruby she felt quite safe travelling with her and knowing that Ruby was from the place called Storybrooke gave Mulan hope that she could provide more insight on Phillip and Aurora since she'd last seen them. After a few hours of travelling the sun had passed into mid-afternoon, they had stopped for a quick lunch by a creek bed, Mulan found she was very comfortable around Ruby who had entertained Mulan with stories about some of the perks of having wolf senses and some of the trouble it gotten her into as well. They afternoon stretched towards the evening and Mulan though it the best time to question Ruby more about the realm she had travelled from.

"So what is it like where you come from, I've only heard of it." Ruby glanced back at Mulan, her horse was travelling a few yards ahead.

"Well originally I'm from here, the forest, but since the first curse I've been living in Storybrooke, well actually there was another curse but that just makes it kind of confusing." Ruby paused searching for words laughing a little at herself.

"Sorry I ramble sometimes," she glanced back at Mulan, she smiled at Ruby encouragingly. Ruby took a breath and continued,

"Well Storybrooke is different, if I hadn't lived under the Evil Queen's curse for so long it probably would of been very overwhelming. Which it was for people like Phillip and Aurora." There was another pause and Mulans' chest felt constricted hearing Auroras' name aloud.

"In that world they have advancements like you wouldn't believe I mean it's scary but incredible at the same time, weapons, medicine, the only thing they really don't have is magic if anybody outside of Storybrooke ever knew about me well it might not end well, in their world were just considered fairy tales, stories they tell children."

Mulans' brow furrowed at the strangeness of it all.

"Honestly it's why I used the magic bean to come back we don't belong there, it's wrong for us to be there, it's not our world, although I hope if we all do come back we will bring back some of it."

"Bring back some of what?" Mulan asked.

Ruby turned her head again so she was looking back at Mulan, "In that realm they have ideas that they are more accepting towards then they might be here, they believe that love can be between two people no matter who they are."

Mulan was stunned into silence. Ruby's body went rigid for a moment as if she was sensing something.

"I think I've picked up the trail we should try to make more ground before nightfall."

With that Ruby sped up leaving their conversation behind as Mulan tried to keep pace with her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a little bit of a slow burn I'm just trying to make their relationship as realistic as possible

The sun was close to setting and they decided to stop and make camp, the scent Ruby was following had led them further south and now they were in dark woods an area Mulan wasn't familiar with. They secured their horses and set up their tent which being made of a rough cloth most likely wouldn't provide adequate protection in case of rain; Mulan wondered if maybe she should spend extra time making a small lean-to that would better protect them against the elements but the skies seemed clear for now. Ruby gathered an adequate amount of wood and they started a small fire which would keep any creatures lurking about at bay, but Mulan worried it might in turn attract thieves or raiders, so she kept it low only hot enough to cook their dinner.

"Good thing we stopped when we did it got dark fast." Ruby pondered aloud, she looked out past the opening in their tent that her Mulan were perched under, the gnarled blackened trees only added to the eeriness of their surroundings.

"Do you really think there might be werewolves all the way out here? It seems so isolated." Mulan had begun to worry once the lush green forest had turned into the twisted briar thorns and trees it only brought about one feeling for her, danger.

"Well what better place for monsters to hide." Ruby said drearily.

"You're not a monster Ruby, we wouldn't be out here if you thought that's what you would find." Mulan tried to be reassuring but it was almost like the darkness surrounding them had leeched into her thoughts even Mulan felt more uneasy than usual.

"I don't know what I'm going to find and as for the monster part I think my ex-boyfriend would disagree with you." Ruby sighed heavily, "I'm going to try and get some sleep don't stay up long."

Ruby turned to retreat back into the tent when suddenly their was a crack of thunder and the sky opened up letting loose a torrential downpour dousing the fire and almost immediately soaking through the tent. So much for clear skies Mulan thought. Ruby and Mulan quickly moved their supplies over to a nearby rock shelf that had been jutting out of the hill they'd camped next too. Mulan used the soaked tent attaching to the roots of and old tree exposed from the hillside and weighing it down with rocks on the ground creating a makeshift a-frame half hill, half tent. She checked on the horses and made sure they would be provided enough cover before joining Ruby, both women had managed to stay relatively dry, Ruby thanks to her cloak and Mulan thanks to her armor which she took off and set aside to lie down.

"You're really going to try and sleep with the monsoon going on outside?" 

"I've slept in worse." Mulan said resting her eyes.

"Really like what?" Ruby rested further back so now her and Mulan were side by side.

"Like in war." Mulan deadpanned.

"You were in a war?"

"You didn't know? I thought you said in your realm they had our stories." Mulan opened one eye to see that Ruby was propped on one elbow staring at her curiously, She swallowed the way Ruby was staring at her was a little unnerving but it made her stomach flutter.

"Well yeah they have stories but they definitely aren't one hundred percent accurate, in my story I'm a little girl travelling to grandmothers' house and I almost get eaten by a wolf, truth is it's kind of the other way around..." Ruby trailed off.

"Ironic." Mulan noted. "What do they say about me?"

"Well in the Disney movie,"

Mulan cut Ruby off, "I'm afraid I haven't quite grasped the meanings of those words, I think Emma Swan tried explaining it to me but this whole moving pictures idea seems a little odd."

Ruby laughed, "Sorry sometimes I forget, I'll make it simpler, In the story they usually tell about you, you were the daughter of a great warrior who was called to battle to fight the Huns but your father was aging and wasn't strong enough to survive a war so you took his place. You pretended to be a man and became one of the greatest warriors of your Empire and won the war for your country restoring honor to your family and your ancestors the Emperor gives you the highest honor and you marry a General that you fell in love with. How different is the real story to that?"

Mulan felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes which were open now as she'd listened to Ruby she felt sick.

"Mulan what's wrong." Ruby could see Mulan was upset she reached for her shoulder to comfort her, Mulan pulled away rolling over so her back was to Ruby.

"They shouldn't tell such lies." Mulans' voice cracked, "I'd like to go to sleep now."

"Of course." Ruby's voice was quiet she'd never seen Mulan upset she'd never seen her face or heard her voice in anything resembling sadness, it was surprising and concerning all at the same time, Ruby wrapped herself in her cloak waiting for a troubled sleep she felt might not come.

Day finally broke and they packed up camp neither spoke and neither had gotten much sleep.

"Mulan?" Ruby tried but she ignored her.

"We should be going if the wolves are here we should find them today it's best we try and not spend another night here."

The pair mounted their horses and Ruby started south hoping to pick up a new trail the old one having been washed away by the rain, they travelled for hours in silence and Ruby found it unbearable the switch of moods from yesterday to today was jarring. Ruby had enjoyed Mulans company immensely yesterday, they'd begun to talk casually Ruby was surprised to find such humor in Mulan now it was like Mulan was wearing a mask a cold stoic one that spoke words only out of necessity. By afternoon Ruby was exhausted by it, they still appeared to be in the dark woods though the trees didn't seem as menacing as they had the night before, she still hadn't picked up a solid trail so she stopped and got off her horse.

"What are you doing?" Mulan asked, Ruby tied her horse to a nearby exposed root.

"I'm tired, I'm going to rest. Care to join me?" Ruby rebuffed.

Mulan tried to hide her annoyance, "We should keep going the wolves if they are here are probably moving further away."

"Well if they live in these woods which I suspect due to the immense number of scents that seemed to lead nowhere they'll be here tomorrow."

"You think we should camp here, it's not safe." Mulan had now dismounted her horse exasperated.

"Well I haven't seen a single animal the entire time we've been here not even a bird." 

"That's what concerns me." Mulans tone of voice irked Ruby, her wolf stirred aggressively which would usually be surprising considering it was nowhere near a full moon but instead it fed her annoyance.

"Well I'm camping here, either join me or find your own place to camp, besides you wouldn't be able to find your way out of here without me!" Ruby began making camp for herself, Mulan became more frustrated.

"Why are you being so difficult it's these woods something's not right I think they are messing with our minds you need to be in control." Ruby's ears perked and the hair on the back of her neck raised.

"I am in control." She growled, "You don't even know me and all I know about you is that you have a habit of abandoning people." That was the last straw for Mulan.

"Fine! Make your own camp." Mulan stormed off she couldn't understand why she was so infuriated she'd been upset from the night before but it was like something was feeding all of her negative emotions and all she felt like was directing them towards Ruby. It had to be this place all that grew here was dead trees and thorny briar nothing good could come of being here. Night grew closer and Mulans head cleared a little and she worried for Ruby, she hadn't wandered far but Mulan couldn't let her be alone especially at night Mulan began walking back when she heard a scream. Mulan bolted she rushed back to Ruby's' camp the tent had been knocked over and a beast that looked like a some sort of giant Ram with dark fur and sharp teeth was attempting to corner Ruby who had fallen back onto the ground. Mulan drew her sword and rushed the beast which quickly spun at her and charged. Mulan narrowly dodged the charge sprawling to the ground she quickly recovered as the creature doubled back, Mulan held her stance and swung her sword only glanced off one of its horns. Ruby at the same time was desperately trying to keep the horses from fleeing as they panicked trying to break their ropes. The Ram faced Mulan and got ready for another charge and Mulan crouched low prepared now, the Ram charged and Mulan quickly dodged to the side plunging her sword right under the beasts front leg striking it's heart the creature fell like a boulder with one last grunt. Mulan removed her sword quickly cleaning it on the ground, during the fight one of the horses had broken free and fled Ruby sat on the ground now holding the other horses rope tightly, Mulan quickly rushed to her side.

"Your bleeding!" Mulan kneeled next to Ruby quickly grabbing a cloth and pressing it to the cut on her forehead.

"When I fell my head it hit a rock I think I'm okay, I should heal quickly." Ruby said trying to reassure Mulan who had concerned etched all over her face.

"I was worried for you I'm sorry I went off the way I did it was foolish it will never happen again." Ruby placed her hand over the one Mulan was using to apply pressure to the cut.

"Don't be sorry I don't know what got into me, you were right I was being a little out of control and I'm sorry for the things I said they were wrong." 

"It's not either of our faults it's this place, darkness lives here if their are any wolves living here I don't know if we should be looking for them." Mulan removed the cloth, the bleeding had stopped and luckily the cut looked superficial in nature.

"You might be right the trails I picked up were erratic which is unusual if what were following is any sort of person it's probably not one with good intentions." Ruby mused. "Thank you Mulan you saved my life." Ruby placed her hand in Mulans squeezing, Mulan felt her heart swell a little and her stomach flutter.

"It was nothing, you're worth protecting." Mulan didn't know if she'd thought it or said in that moment but Ruby smiled at her.

"Lets get out of these damned woods."


End file.
